December: Where to Be this Month

Park City, Utah

Photo courtesy of Park City Mountain Resort

Dallas

If you missed the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York this year, fear not! Dallas hosts its own awesome holiday parade this month. The Children's Health Holiday Parade (December 5) takes to the streets of downtown with marching bands, giant balloons and plenty of holiday floats. If that's not enough, the Dallas Arboretum will celebrate 12 Days of Christmas with 500,000 twinkling lights.

Photo courtesy of Matt Pasant / Visit Dallas

Aruba

If you're the type who prefers white sand to white snow for the holidays, consider heading down to Aruba. This Caribbean paradise still gets in the spirit of the season, but they do things a bit differently. On Saint Nicolas Day (December 5) visitors can watch Sinterklaas arrive in Oranjestad and participate in other Dutch holiday traditions.

Photo courtesy of Thinkstock

Orlando

Orlando's many theme parks pull out all the stops during the holiday season, with special events ranging from Christmas parades and shows to spectacular lights displays. Disney, Universal and SeaWorld all get in on the holiday action.

Photo courtesy of Ryan Wendler, photographer / Walt Disney World Resort

Barcelona

Barcelona's Christmas markets may not have bratwurst and mulled wine like their counterparts in Germany, but they do have loads of holiday decorations, mistletoe, lights and carols. Plus you can snack on hot chocolate and churros after you've finished shopping. Mild winter temperatures with very little rain make December an excellent time to visit this Catalan city.

Photo courtesy of Jesús Corrius / Flickr

Chicago

Holiday shopping? Check. Ice skating? Check. Seasonal entertainment? Check. The Windy City has a well-rounded offering of holiday events, including one of the nation's top Christmas markets, world class shopping along the Magnificent Mile and a lights display at the Lincoln Park Zoo.

Photo courtesy of Adam Alexander Photography

Baja California, Mexico

There's no bad time to visit Baja California, and December is no exception. Looking to spend the holidays in blissful seclusion? The Marquis Los Cabos, a luxury all-inclusive resort, just reopened this year after undergoing a $10 million renovation.

Photo courtesy of Thinkstock

Sydney

Down Under, Aussies celebrate our winter holidays in the middle of their summer. If the thought of Christmas on the beaches of Sydney isn't enough to entice you, imagine being one of the first people in the world to ring in 2016 with a spectacular fireworks display over Sydney Harbour.

Photo courtesy of Thinkstock

Honolulu

It's hard to beat Honolulu's weather in December, with highs hovering in the low 80s with low humidity. Whale watching season starts mid month, while the waves of the North Shore are at their best for surfing. If you're not ready to ride the pipeline yourself, you can watch the pros during the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing (through December 20). On a more somber note, December 7 marks the anniversary of the Attack on Pearl Harbor; visitors can pay homage to lives lost at the memorial.

Photo courtesy of Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) / Tor Johnson

New York

New York City is about as packed with holiday cheer as is possible for a city. Department stores put up festive displays in their windows, ice rinks and Christmas markets pop up around the city and the Rockettes perform their iconic Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall.

Photo courtesy of NYC & Company/Joe Buglewicz